“May my heart always be open to little birds who are the secrets of living.” ee cummings. This quote popped up in my mind when I opened the front door this morning and walked out on the porch. Such a pretty day just full of bird songs and bright sunshine. The sky was the color of a Tiffany’s blue gift box, the birds were the jewels inside. A brown-headed cowbird raced around the bird bath four times then jumped in and splashed around enjoying his morning bath. After the cowbird finished, Fatty jumped up on the bird bath and drank lots of water.

Walked Penelope down the street, through the broken sidewalk maze, and soon as I finished that obstacle sidewalk course, a big rabbit, probably a hare, streaked across the street and down my driveway. Penelope almost wrenched my arm out of the socket as she ran after it. I wanted to let her off the leash to enjoy the freedom of a good chase but she has no conception of what a car is. She loves to dart into the road and stand under the car when it stops and I have to humiliate myself by getting down in the road to pull her out from under the car.

I found out this afternoon that Fatty is a she squirrel and not a he squirrel. Sure is grouchy, maybe she’s got a nest of crying babies. I just let her enjoy the feeders today. Sprayed the poles with oil late afternoon so she’ll just have to scoop her seeds in her mouth from the ones on the ground tomorrow. Been looking at squirrel feeders but haven’t bought one yet. Thinking about buying a bag of critter food and placing it under the oak tree, can use the top of an old bird bath to hold it. Guess if the raccoons come back I can put my trap out again. Left the top off the bird seed box last night and no critters bothered it so that was a good sign. Nothing bothering me today but blue tail skinks. They sneak out of the bricks and sunbathe on the bannisters.

The sunset was so pretty tonight, colored bright in the shades of a raging wildfire. The sun entered the stage as a golden fiery ball, rolling down into the flames of a yellow-orange and red pageant stage. Father Sky, dressed in his local red and black volunteer fireman’s suit, took the arm of the sun to escort her down the runway. The sun was casually dressed in her skinny leg jeans, Taylor Swift t-shirt, and Braves baseball cap. Father Sky, walking slowly in his heavy black boots, and the sun, skipping happily in her red high-topped tennis shoes, tiptoed through the sunset pageant as the flames of rich red, deep orange, soft blue, and bright yellow blazed and then dimmed into a golden apricot orange.

Mother Nature painted the surrounding clouds in shades of elderberry blue and pale pink and vanilla cream. The twilight haze floated across the neighborhood as the night bedded down and Father Sky went to wake the moon and stars. Another day of the Lord’s creation is gone but we’re always promised tomorrow.

Been doing chores in between perching in the swing times. Got hot and came in the house and pilfered through my scratch paper pile of quote scribblings. Got to sorting out the bird quotes not realizing how many I had accumulated. Not sure of a favorite but I love this one. “Every bird, every tree, every flower reminds me what a blessing and a privilege it is to be alive,” Marty Rubin. Most of us don’t even give a thought about waking up to another day. Never thinking to thank God for breath for the day. Just to wake up breathing for another day is a miracle we take for granted. I feel everyday I’m alive as a blessing and I enjoy living it to the fullest. When I wake and when I go to bed my first and lasts words are thank you Lord for another beautiful day.

We should be thankful for our health when so many are unwell and suffering from illness. We should be thankful for our friends and our family and the health of our families’ children. We should be thankful that God gave us the ability to recall our memories. “Like the bird singing in the rain, the grateful memories survive in a time of sorrow,” Robert Louis Stevenson. Memories are both wonderful and comforting and heartbreaking. But I’m thankful for every one of mine. I’m thankful for the wonderful creation we live in with all of nature’s birds and flowers and sunrises and sunsets. So many things I’m grateful for, too many to list. And I’m thankful when I’m have a sad moment I can look at all the blessings around me and bring the warm sunshine back into my day.

And mostly, I am thankful for God’s salvation and that through my faith I am promised eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” John 3:16.

Jen Ferguson writes of five blessings we receive from God and these are blessings we can give to others. God gives us his word, his presence, his grace, his gifts, and his compassion. Too many people in our world go unnoticed. We need to share our blessings with them. (Archives, May 1, 2024)

“Being grateful for the simple blessings in life opens the door to abundant happiness.” — Unknown